Causeway Coast & Glens Council approves walking trail between Ballycarton and Binevenagh

At this month’s Leisure and Development Committee meeting, members approved the Ballycarton to Binevenagh Trail Head Project, which encompasses a trail corridor and a car park at Ballycarton as well as a trailhead, signage, and a Permissive Path Agreement for private lands connecting Ballycarton Wood to Binevenagh Mountain.

“Ensuring the provision, development, and accessibility of quality walking opportunities across the borough is a key goal for the council’s Tourism and Recreation Service,” a council officer said.

“While most of the council-managed walking experience occurs on council owned land, some areas are jointly maintained with organisations such as the National Trust and Forest Service, and in some cases, through licences and management agreements with private landowners.

“The Binevenagh and Coastal Lowlands Landscape Partnership is a seven-year project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, totalling £3.4 million.

“Its vision is to celebrate and link local communities to their unique landscape and heritage, fostering sustainable and resilient communities.

“Council plays a key role as a supporting partner in the Landscape Partnership, and, as part of this partnership, a recreational audit conducted in the Binevenagh area revealed the potential to establish a 5.5-kilometre walking trail from Ballycarton to Binevenagh.

“This trail would provide appropriate access to the mountain and Binevenagh Nature Reserve, along with necessary information, signage, trail furniture, and parking facilities.

“Negotiations with the Forest Service had some issues, but have now progressed to a point where the transfer of liability and the maintenance responsibility is now deemed acceptable to council officers.

“The estimated maintenance costs, after a five-year period when the project and the capital works are completed, are to average no more than £5,000 per annum for the trail and £1,000 per annum for the car park.”

DUP Councillor Philip Anderson welcomed the planned trail, describing it as a “very exciting project”.

Councillor Anderson concluded: “We really don’t realise how fortunate we are to live in this area, particularly the location of where this is at. We encourage people to be walking, getting healthy and into the fresh air, and I think this is certainly a great opportunity to do that.”